|SREL Reprint #0685|
Increased Cesium Uptake by Water Tupelo Under Inundated Conditions
K. W. McLeod and D. L. Dawson
Low level releases of 137Cs to streams have occurred from
existing nuclear production facilities located on the U.S. Dept. of Energy’s
Savannah River Plant (SRP) near Aiken, South Carolina U.S.A. This has resulted
in concentrations of 137Cs greater than background levels in soils,
sediments and plants of the bottomland and swamp forest (Ga75a; Ga75b; Sh75).
Plant to soil concentration ratio (CR) of 137Cs varies widely,
and depends on many environmental factors as well as the species involved
(Da75). Aquatic macrophytes grown under flooded conditions show
higher plant to soil concentration ratios than when grown in nonflooded soils
(Sh75; Pe60). Response to
inundation varies considerably between species, due to morphological
characteristics, such as production of adventitious roots, and physiological
characteristics, such as oxygen transport from aerial plant parts to roots and
ability for roots to anerobically respire.
Thus, the effect of inundation on rates of nutrient absorption would vary
according to the ability to tolerate inundation.
Therefore, the response of woody vegetation, which generally cannot
survive continuous inundation, may be considerably different from aquatic
The objective of this study was to determine the effect of inundation on
the absorption of 137Cs by water tupelo. Water tupelo (Nyssa aquatica) was chosen for
study because of its dominance in the Savannah River swamp and its ability to
survive and grow well under flooded conditions.
SREL Reprint #0685
McLeod, K.W. and D.L. Dawson. 1980. Increased
cesium uptake by water tupelo under inundated conditions.
Health Physics 39:809-812.